Manerria: Online; Episode 3: The Truth of the Game
By Terrarian Pony Previously Next Story: Terrarian Pony presents... Manerria: Online Episode 3 The Truth of the Game ... The giant green fish was apparently named Tarkr. They could tell because the name showed on top of it's health bar as soon as it appeared. Tarkr lunged forward towards the circular platform, and jumped out of the water. The two of them drew their weapons, Terra her sword, and Maxx, his weaponized lute, and dodged the attack. The giant fish landed on the platform, causing it to tip over, which caused Terra and Maxx to tip underwater, giving the Tarkr the advantage. Terra tried to hold her breathe, then remembered "Oh yeah, I'm a seapony." Maxx:" Are you alright?" Terra:" How are you breathing underwater?" Maxx:" I told you Aquapolis was famous for it's gills potions!" Terra:" Oh, right!" Tarkr began swimming towards them, and they split up to get away. Terra:" How do we beat this thing?" Maxx:" Those spikey balls at the bottom of the water might help! Lure him into those!" Terra:" Got it!" Terra swam over into Tarkr's view, and shook her tail. Terra:" Hey Tarkr! Fish breathe! Come and get it!" Tarkr followed her, it's jaw wide open. She lured it to one of the spikey balls at the bottome of the water, and then tricked it into crashing. BOOM! The spikey ball exploded, and Tarkr roared out in pain. Suddenly, the water began to lower. Terra:" What? That's it? That was easy peasy!" Maxx:" Yeah, too easy peasy." But even though the water was all gone, the giant fish was still alive, and was flopping angrily around, nearly crushing the both of them. Terra:" What!? How!?" Maxx:" I knew it couldn't be that easy!" Terra:" Look! It's belly is exposed! We can attack it, and keep switching back and forwarth to take a break. I'll go first!" Maxx:" Nah-uh! You got the first hit! I want to get some hits in there too!" Terra:" Fine, but don't blame me if it crushes you." Maxx ran in, and began hitting Tarkr's belly whenever it hit the ground. Maxx:" Switch! I'll song boost you from behind!" Maxx and Terra switched, and Terra went in to battle the beast, slashing at it's belly, and causing it's health bar to go down. Meanwhile, Maxx was playing the healer song on his lute to help Terra keep her HP up. They switched again, and Maxx was went in with a few critical hits. Meanwhile, Terra was switching her weapon. Maxx:" Terra, you ready to switch?" Terra:" Just a sec... got it!" Her iron trident appeared in her hooves. Terra:" Alright, switch!" Terra went in for the final blow. When she hit Tarkr with her trident, it roared, and suddenly exploded into a cloud of pixels. After that, a staircase opened up to a basement of some sort. Terra:" We did it... I think we did it." Maxx:" Nice job! What did you get as a reward?" Terra:" Reward? Oh... um. I got a weird trident." Terra opened her inventory and selcted her new item, and it appeared. It was a white trident, with a boney structure. Terra:" It's called Tarkr's tooth. It says it does 15% more damage to aquatic and phantom creatures, and it has an aquatic weilding enchant, which basically means I can use it underwater. Oh, and apparently it's an S class weapon!" Maxx:" That's strange. Why is it a trident?" Terra:" Remember that odd looking tooth we saw at the beginning of the boss battle? It looked just like this." Maxx:" Oh yeah!" Terra:" What'd you get?" Maxx:" Oh, well um... the reward actually only goes to the one who made the last strike." Terra:" That doesn't sound fair." Maxx:" Well that's how the game was made." Terra:" Now I feel bad. The only other reward I got was this weird seaweed stuff. But I doubt you would want that. Maxx:" Wait a minute, let me see!" Terra:" Um... okay, it's just seaweed." She gave it to Maxx, and he was ecstatic. Maxx:" Terra this isn't just any seaweed! It's also an uncommon cooking item as well!" Terra:" Ew! Gross!" Maxx:" What?" Terra:" I don't like sea plant food." Maxx:" Why not? I eat it all the time!" Terra:" Gross! Remond me never to kiss you... which actually shouldn't be a problem." Maxx:" It's not that bad. Have you ever tried seaweed?" Terra:" No, but it smells funny." Maxx:" Whatever, it can also be used as crafting material. Some fish bones, and some water mushrooms could make this into a decent sword." Terra:" Your gross. But since your so excited over a water plant, you do with it whatever you please. Wait, wasn't there something else we needed to do?" Maxx:" Oh yeah, we came to rescue the gaurds. They must be downstairs." The two of them went into the basement, and they found lots of cages. Suddenly, they heard a female voice. ???:" H-hello? Is somepony there?" It was one of the guards that was sent to investigate Tarkr. And she was in a cage. Terra:" Are you okay?" Guard:" Th-that thing... it ate all my comrades... I'm the only one left. Oh... B-but he's still here!" Maxx:" Who?" ???:" You! You killed my pet!?" They turned to see a deer pony wearing a lab coat. And he didn't look happy. He didn't seem to be a player either. Maxx:" You'll pay for what you did to thise guards! Why did you feed them to that... thing?" ???:" Even giant fish need to survive! And you... you killed it!" The deer pony ran straight at them, and Maxx hit him with his lute, knocking the stallion unconscious. Terra freed the seapony guard from her cage. She looked terrified, and horribly shaken up. Tears stained her face all over. Guard:" Th-they were all my friends... I can't believe that... they are gone." Terra:" I-I'm sorry. We'll use our magic mirrors to help you get home." ... After they teleported home using their magic mirrors, Terra took Maxx aside. Terra:" Maxx, something is wrong. Something about that encounter was... off." Maxx:" Yeah, why would an NPC have need for his own boss pet." Terra:" I'm talking about that guard! Didn't you see the tears? It was like... it was like she was actually there. In fact, this entire time, it hasn't felt like much a game, more like some other world." Maxx:" But... it is a game. That guard was just an NPC. There is nothing to it." Terra:" What if you're wrong?" Maxx:" You're being a little bit delusional, Terra." Terra:" What did you call me?" Maxx:" I said you're being delusional. This is all virtual reality, Terra. That whole thing was just a quest." Terra:" I-I don't know..." ... Coralisa:" I'm sorry to hear about the incident with that deer pony. I'm glad he has been arrested. As promised, your reward." She presented them with a blue feather. Maxx:" You take it, I'm going to go out and find some other materials to make a weapon out this seaweed." Terra:" Okay. What kind of familiar item is this?" Coralisa:" It's a water feather. It'll summon a familiar called an waterflame phoenix. It's like a regular phoenix, except it's flame is blue, and it's water proof." Terra:" Oh my goodness! I can't wait to see what it looks like! Uh... hold up. I wanted to talk to you about something." Coralisa:" Hmm?" Terra:" That guard... her tears... those weren't just tears from a video game, it felt like... something different. Something real." Coralisa:" Well this is virtual reality of course. A lot of things seem real." Terra:" Okay, what about the Slaves. We encountered them on our way to the sea temple." Coralisa:" Th-those... those were glitched NPCs... yes. Just glitched NPCs is all they were." Terra:" Were they now?" Coralisa had a nervous look on her face. Terra knew she was breaking her. Terra:" All those things that the Slaves said, it all sounded way too real." Coralisa huffed, and turned her head. Coralisa:" I'm sorry. This unit is programmed to have this conversation." Terra:" AHA!" Coralisa flinched. Terra:" You said you were programmed to freely converse with any player. But if you could converse so freely, how would you have any program in you at all? You don't! Free will has no programming! Free will requires a soul, and a body!" Coralisa:" *Sigh* Alright. You caught me. Just keep your voice down." Terra:" I knew it! Something was off the moment I started playing this game! Tell me, why do you think that is..." Coralisa:" Because this isn't a game." Terra:" I knew you would sa- wait what?" Coralisa:" Look, we can't talk here. If you want answers. Come meet in the attic tomorrow at 8:00 a.m." ... Maxx was waiting for Terra by a small pond. A spot where the two of them began to hang out alone. Not that it meant much to Terra, her being a lesbian and all. Suddenly, an item appeared in his inventory. Terra had given him the letter that was given to her earlier. Maxx:" We know who you are? Terra Bladion?" Terra:" That's my real name. I was so afraid that somepony would find out... now they know. I guess that's what I get for making my player name so obvious." Maxx:" But what do the wraiths have against you?" Terra:" Do you not know who I am? I'm the duaghter of psychopath!" Tears were dripping from Terra's face. Her teeth were clenched, and her head was buried in her hooves. Terra:" I've tried SO HARD just to bury that down! I started playing this game because I wanted to make friends who don't know me, or what my father did! He killed a pony! And he put my mother in a wheelchair!" Terra began to cry harder, her tears flowing in all directions. Maxx:" I-I'm sorry... I didn't know." Terra:" It's my fault! I didn't do anything! Why didn't I stand up for her? Why did I have to so weak, and useless!?" Maxx touched her hoof with his. Maxx:" It's okay..." He smiled at her. A warm smile, with genuine meaning. Maxx:" I'm here for you. If you need anything, I'll be here." Terra was blushing, and that was something she had never done towards a colt before. She raised herself up, and threw herself into his hooves, burying her face into his chest, and crying loudly. Maxx blushed furiously, but held her firmly. Maxx:" You're not alone." TO BE CONTINUED... Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfiction (Fanon) Category:Content (Terrarian Pony)